Paris Hilton Says She Was ‘Trapped’ Playing a Dumb Blonde for 5 Years

That’s right, Hilton reveals to Access Hollywood that she doesn’t want to be known as a ditz anymore. With 17 product lines and 70 overseas stores, she’s built a business empire and is ready for people to recognize it.

“I am a very hardworking businesswoman and entrepreneur, and that’s what I want to be known as now,” shares the hotel heiress.

The 35-year-old credits the producers of her breakout reality show The Simple Life with her frivolous persona, explaining, “They said ‘Nicole you play the trouble maker, Paris you play the ditzy airhead.’ We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into or what a huge success it would be and that I’d have to continue playing this character for five years.”

“You kind of just get trapped in that character when you have to continue doing it on a TV show,” she says.

Despite Hilton’s honest musings around the dumb blond persona, she admits she’s benefited because she “was in on the joke.”

“I don’t mind because I feel like I really parlayed it into a huge business and it was a lot of fun,” she says. “I think if I was my serious self on the show it wouldn’t have been such a huge success.”